Sticking with the original question, I think the best Presidential candidate to offer a viable solution is John McCain. To guarantee health care to all Americans we probably are looking at a Constitutional Amendment. The President would need to cross party lines to get the necessary support from Congress. McCain is generally thought to be a social liberal so he actually has the ability to secure a fair number of democratic and more importantly a fair number of Republican votes to get Congress to act. A constitutional Amendment would require a vote of the States to make it happen and that is the way it should be.

I can add from EXPERIENCE as a NURSE...that due to the state of Health Care in this Country, how this has AFFECTED MY JOB as a NURSE...a WORKING CLASS CITIZEN.

Who takes care of you in the hospital? The Nurses do. The Dr's make their rounds once a day, but WE are their eyes and ears.

We take care of those W/O Health Insurance ALL THE TIME...knowing that we will NEVER see that payment...thereby reflects our wages, our extinct bonuses, and our falling benefit package. Same goes with Reimbursements from Medicare and other insurers...that affects us as well.

And, IMO...Nurses DO NOT get paid enough for the RESPONSIBILITIES we HAVE as Licensed Professionals.

Not only Health Care Reform, but there also needs to be Reform in Nurse to Patient Ratios within the Hospital's NATIONWIDE.

We need to keep our construction and manufacturing jobs at HOME. Yes,I do believe American's should buy Made in the USA Brands. If not, who are you giving your money to?

Moving from our family is stressing, esp when the jobs were HERE. Let's keep the jobs here, take care of our own first.

American Companies need to keep their companies HERE, and quit farming them out overseas...That disappoints me as an American.

There are many circumstances that crop up in a person's life, and to have Universal Health Care available seems right to me.

I've had a change in my employment status, and if I weren't married to someone with Health Insurance, where would I be? BUT, we are also verging on another lay-off for my husband in a few months...we will be w/o HealthCare if he doesn't get another job. And still, NO Skilled Trades JOBS IN OHIO.

I am Voting HILLARY tomorrow in my Ohio Primary!

I am backing Hilary till the end. Beware what Opra Winfreys money buys Obama in false advertising against Hilary's purposed health plan.

I just clipped out these tid bits I liked from part of her plan.
Yes true it is not 100% appoved but neither is any other runners plan until they hit office and things start going into effect. Yes it will still be a battle between democrats and repulicans as always on who votes for what to pass...............


3. PROMOTE SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

Relying on consumers or the government alone to fix the system has unintended consequences, like scaled-back coverage or limited choices. This plan ensures that all who benefit from the system share in the responsibility to fix its shortcomings.

Insurance and Drug Companies: insurance companies will end discrimination based on pre-existing conditions or expectations of illness and ensure high value for every premium dollar; while drug companies will offer fair prices and accurate information.
Individuals: will be required to get and keep insurance in a system where insurance is affordable and accessible.
Providers: will work collaboratively with patients and businesses to deliver high-quality, affordable care.
Employers: will help financing the system; large employers will be expected to provide health insurance or contribute to the cost of coverage: small businesses will receive a tax credit to continue or begin to offer coverage.
Government: will ensure that health insurance is always affordable and never a crushing burden on any family and will implement reforms to improve quality and lower cost.

4. ENSURE AFFORDABLE HEALTH COVERAGE FOR ALL

Senator Clintons plan will:

Provide Tax Relief to Ensure Affordability: Working families will receive a refundable tax credit to help them afford high-quality health coverage.
Limit Premium Payments to a Percentage of Income: The refundable tax credit will be designed to prevent premiums from exceeding a percentage of family income, while maintaining consumer price consciousness in choosing health plans.
Create a New Small Business Tax Credit: To make it easier-not harder-for small businesses to create new jobs with health coverage, a new health care tax credit for small businesses will provide an incentive for job-based coverage.
Strengthen Medicaid and CHIP: The Plan will fix the holes in the safety net to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive affordable, quality care.
Launch a Retiree Health Legacy Initiative: A new tax credit for

Dazdream I am with you. I am in TX and we are having our primary here today. It is very close between Obama and Hillary. I did vote for Hillary and will be going back to caucus tonight.

I'm so happy to come on here and see so much recent support for Hillary!!!

WARNING: SARCASIM, IF THIS BOTHERS YOU DO NOT READ

Beware of slippery slopes.

Comrades I support the cause. Hillarys plan will be the saving grace. One mistake is she forgot to start the plan off with Once Upon A Time. Once health care is nationalized we will have a system that will rival the program built by Fidel Castro for the Cuban people. A system like this will surely attract the best and the brightest to go to medical school and higher pay for nursesforgetaboutit. Of course it will be very expensive so we will have to raise taxes. Maybe we can tax the rich enough so that all their wealth gets put into the governments hands similar to the way Lenin did it to the wealthy in mother Russia. We all know that system worked much better than capitalism.

We then need to go for the big oil companies and cut them down to size similar to what Chaves is doing in Venezuela. This may upset a few people so I suggest we amend the Constitution and repeal the Second Amendment provisions concerning the right to bear arms. Price of milk is going up, we might as well take over the dairies as well. It may help ease the burden if we didnt have so many people. Maybe we should close our borders to any immigration and do like China and only allow couples to have one child. We really wont need the workers because the capitalistic power that built this country will be quickly disintegrating and the investment dollars will be going to other countries at least what is left of the investment dollars. We are Americans and can do anything better than any other country in the world. It took Hitler nearly a decade to get the people totally dependent on him and the Third Reich. I bet Hillary if left alone without a Congress or Supreme Court can do it in four.

That's some really inspirational and uplifting crap there. Thanks for sharing!

drsib wrote: "A system like this will surely attract the best and the brightest to go to medical school and higher pay for nursesforgetaboutit."

I wrote: "Who takes care of you in the hospital? The Nurses do. The Dr's make their rounds once a day, but WE are their eyes and ears."

"And, IMO...Nurses DO NOT get paid enough for the RESPONSIBILITIES we HAVE as Licensed Professionals."

Nurse's wages have come a long way from when I first started as a Nurse 10 years ago...my starting wage was $14.xx...luckily that has INCREASED since then.

Maybe you don't understand the role a Hospital Nurse has?? I find many people do NOT understand what Nurse's do, and what we are responsible for.

Your Doctor will NOT be there to deliver your First Shock if you are in Cardiac Arrest...A NURSE WILL.

I wonder how you will feel when you get ill, and find yourself in need of professional, knowledgeable Medical Service...wouldn't YOU want the best and the brightest to be caring for you? I sure would, and I do NOW! In fact, I seek it out now until I CAN find the BEST, the BRIGHTEST and most KNOWLEDGABLE.

Not everyone is suitable to go to Med School or Nursing School...both are very hard curricula's to get through. Not everyone makes it through. And not everyone that makes it through is going to be a great success either.

And as for McCain on his Health Care Plan, this statement will not serve American's, b/c many do NOT take responsibility for their health, and fail to go to the Dr. for many reasons...
"Make patients the center of care and give them a larger role in both prevention and care, putting more decisions and responsibility in their hands."

"Give states the flexibility to, and encourage them to experiment with: alternative forms of access; risk-adjusted payments per episode covered under Medicaid; use of private insurance in Medicaid; alternative insurance policies and insurance providers; and, different licensing schemes for medical providers." Lots of room for variation among states...???

A lot of things in his plan are currently being worked on or are being done...Telemedicine is being practiced, easier access to Nurse Practitioners are being made, Employment of technology...computer based charting and medical records...

What is the plan for Health Care for McCain?

I still go for Hillary!

Drsib,
Folks have asked me this, so I'm asking you: why don't you run for office.
I was going to pick apart Billary's plan detailed earlier, but I've been busy WORKING - earning the income that pays the taxes that pays for all of these entitlements these people want. Gotta go - millions in the Great Society Welfare State are depending on me!!

Good to see the support for Hilary but no it is not a fairy tail. Congress makes sure of that no matter who wins. As far paying for medical college that is probably why more Doctors are from wealthy familys in the first place. As far as better paying medical jobs I dont' get where tits or no tits has to do with that. May cause a few marital problems.... lol

I would like to irriterate:
Providers: will work collaboratively with patients and businesses to deliver high-quality, affordable care.

Yes fanagling taxes will have a big part to play in it if it can be done. I still stand by Hilary being the best to see some improvement in what we are offered now.

And why the heck does Florida have to always be a pain in arse with this voting system. Dammit give Hilary her votes there!

Hey luvcarz when you start picking Hilary's plan apart after giving welfare handouts, start with changing your B to an H. lol Don't even get me started on welfare...... (just punning with ya.) Any plan could be picked apart but I like her plan and think she is the best candidate to again make something positive happen with health care in time.

Dear TLC. You missed the point of my comments. I do not deny the role played by nurses and I think I learned a thing or two in my 30 years experience. Nurses are very underpaid and overworked when compared to doctors. Personally I like seeing a PA for primary care. I would be just as happy with a nurse practitioner. My point is that socialized medicine may lead to reduced incomes for health care professionals. If you are familiar with Medicare or Medicaid you know that the government pays an amount equal to about 40 cents on the dollar. Many hospitals and physicians are finding it difficult to stay in business in rural communities because of the high percentage of government programs.

Working as a nurse, you know that many people end up in the hospital because they don't take their medications. How do you get the patient motivated to take care of themselves when their own health is not motivation enough. Patients who lose their site because they don't take their drops. Then there is smoking, drinking, obesity things that are in control of the patient and they don't take care of themselves. I am not sure the patient wants or can handle a greater role in the process.

I agree with giving states greater responsibility which they currently have with medicaid but not medicare. Be careful though that is a premise of the republican party not democrats.

Dear May: Crap is another term for fertilizer. I am just trying to grow some thoughts. Sometimes it stinks but it gets the job done.

Deat luv: I do not have the patience to run for office. The opposite of pro is con and the opposite of progress is congress.

.

This is the first time in my voting career that I will be actually voting against someone. I am not even sure yet who I will vote against. None of the candidate have shown me what they are going to do with healthcare, the war, illegal immigration and the sinking economy. Housing in crisis and the minimum wage is laughable. All I hear from Hillary is "I have experience", John McCain "The war continues status quo" and Obama just gives really good speeches. My question is: All three of these candidates have been in service in Washington for several years each...so why haven't they rocked the boat a little more with their "change" campaigns? They all 3 have the power to change things on capitol hill and haven't. So I will still remain undecided until I go to the polls in November...jmo...missourigal

Part of giving a good speech is having a good speech writer. That does not make you a good Presidential candidate. And the Status Quo is not what we are needing now.
If you go to the Senate web site and look at their experience, you will see Obama is a third class Senator while Clinton is a First class Senator. It sounds to me like she has more access to classified information and being able to serve on more important committees. Not to mention her years as a public servant all the way back to the Watergate trail.

I am not to crazy about any of these candidates but I am pretty sure that I will vote for Hillery...